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Re: Bulk honey prices and market outlook

Trevor, as a newbie wannabee honey broker - could you give me an example of what is considered "bulk" quantities? In anticipation of a positive response I thank you in advance....
P.S. Are the prices FOB "packing house" ???

Re: Bulk honey prices and market outlook

Originally Posted by RichardTHB

Trevor, as a newbie wannabee honey broker - could you give me an example of what is considered "bulk" quantities? In anticipation of a positive response I thank you in advance....
P.S. Are the prices FOB "packing house" ???

Im not sure what you mean by "Honey Broker" can you explain what that is?
What Jim said.

Re: Bulk honey prices and market outlook

Trevor,

Basically, IMO a "Honey Broker" is someone who buys and sells HONEY. This activity may be by "direct acquisition" and held in storage or purchasing for a client per contract for direct delivery to end user. I hope this answers your question.

What Jim said - sounds reasonable on the UP end, but relatively sure there are many smaller sellers wanting to go through a "brokerage house" as well ......... Thanks for your input Jim

Re: Bulk honey prices and market outlook

Originally Posted by RichardTHB

Trevor,

Basically, IMO a "Honey Broker" is someone who buys and sells HONEY. This activity may be by "direct acquisition" and held in storage or purchasing for a client per contract for direct delivery to end user. I hope this answers your question.

I guess I don't understand why a large or small packer would go thru a broker to buy domestic honey.The only way a producer would sell you honey for less than what a packer is paying is if you picked it up with cash in hand ,especially for a semi-load. I wish you the best of luck and if you can make a dollar doing it then go for it, Im just not seeing the need for a broker of honey.

Re: Bulk honey prices and market outlook

Originally Posted by Trevor Mansell

I guess I don't understand why a large or small packer would go thru a broker to buy domestic honey.The only way a producer would sell you honey for less than what a packer is paying is if you picked it up with cash in hand ,especially for a semi-load. I wish you the best of luck and if you can make a dollar doing it then go for it, Im just not seeing the need for a broker of honey.

Nor do I. Honey is expensive to transport. It must be warehoused somewhere and it must be miticulously sampled for color, moisture, taste and contaminants. After all of that there must be a margin for profit. Most end users prefer to strike up their own relationship with a producer. The export/import business is quite another situation, though. I currently have a pretty large inventory of honey that I am told would be quite marketable in Europe but that the impediments to getting it there make it a near impossibility. A broker that knew how to jump through all the hoops could be quite valuable in many such scenarios.

"People will generally accept facts as truth only if the facts agree with what they already believe."- Andy Rooney

Re: Bulk honey prices and market outlook

Why deal through a broker? Is brokering a necessary added cost in today's market? Both good questions - and my answer could only be speculative at this point in time, since I am not yet a broker. So, your feedback is very important to me.

Perhaps I can just create a "picture" based on what I know and ask for your thoughts/conclusions. Here it is:

Here in the USA, demand far outweighs production
A fairly big percentage of honey is produced by many "small time" beekeepers
Demand for honey is growing rapidly from a more diverse end-user (eg - Mead Producers, medicinal products etc etc.)
The swings in price fluctuations are quicker and larger in spread.
If you are "sitting" on honey, that you cannot move then, you are speculating or require a person (broker) who has the contacts and tools to move it for you.
The import/export market (something very familiar to me) is going to have a big impact on local pricing.
What would be the quickest method to getting to know the players in the local (USA) market - establishing a good re-pour/contact via "brokering" would be essential.

Re: Bulk honey prices and market outlook

If you could do something internationally that would be your best bet. I dont know any producer that would pay you to sell there honey unless you are selling at a much higher price then they can get. I also cant imagine a packer paying more than the going price to a third person, but maybe Im wrong. Im not trying to be offensive but I think you are over thinking the whole process. I usually send some samples to people I trust ,ask what they are paying for it ,If I agree they send a truck and I load it. There really isn't allot to it. Trust is a huge factor ,especially at the current price of honey. Good Luck!!

Re: Bulk honey prices and market outlook

Those prices are way high of what I am hearing of current market prices.No doubt we have a short USA crop again from all reports I am hearing.It is a wise US packer who supports his supplier.Bees and beekeepers have been a endangered specis for quite awhile and Cheap Chinese honey has seemed to have lost its "in," into the US market

Re: Bulk honey prices and market outlook

Imperial folks use 44 gallon drums - US gallon is smaller. My mistake, should have made sure it was more clearly defined. Drum is the same size, but not Barrels that is a different measurement ......

A gallon is a gallon is a gallon. A gallon of honey is equal to a gallon of oil or water or any other liquid volumetrically. That is why a "gallon" is a standard unit of measurement. There is no bigger or smaller gallons.... I dont know who you mean by "imperial folks" either. There are two popular systems of measurements...English and Metric so if someone is using the English system all Gallons of all Liquids are the same in volume...they differ in weight/density ect. I too, have never heard of honey being sold in a 44 gallon increment.